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A Turn for Better Weather in Ecuador
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsmxIhEk_I%2FAAAAAAAABYY%2FEXBlllGK4k0%2Fs320%2F1176271166_p1250510.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=78cbb18bb0f097b1c8805c3d15866d6a 240w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsmxIhEk_I%2FAAAAAAAABYY%2FEXBlllGK4k0%2Fs320%2F1176271166_p1250510.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=4f163bf6a65cb6c43e5ad84904884ff7 240w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsmxIhEk_I%2FAAAAAAAABYY%2FEXBlllGK4k0%2Fs320%2F1176271166_p1250510.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=242c9c9b2816c89f738ccfc13238f320 240w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsmxIhEk_I%2FAAAAAAAABYY%2FEXBlllGK4k0%2Fs320%2F1176271166_p1250510.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=93c80c9ce651b5875ca40671c21a5e3b 240w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsmxIhEk_I%2FAAAAAAAABYY%2FEXBlllGK4k0%2Fs320%2F1176271166_p1250510.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=f81bda500bf0ed902d2abfebbfbb19ba 240w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsmxIhEk_I%2FAAAAAAAABYY%2FEXBlllGK4k0%2Fs320%2F1176271166_p1250510.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=3eb9dd3113fb77025eedc09bd4732234 240w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsmxIhEk_I%2FAAAAAAAABYY%2FEXBlllGK4k0%2Fs320%2F1176271166_p1250510.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=610e41b07348d6f851de1eb82c00df08 240w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsmxIhEk_I%2FAAAAAAAABYY%2FEXBlllGK4k0%2Fs320%2F1176271166_p1250510.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=48fa24d49dd687bc5e498b8822083c65 240w)
The headwall on Cayambe
All photos by Andrea Hilderbrand
You may have been following our recent trips in Ecuador where our teams have been confronted with some unfavorable weather on the summits of Cotopaxi and Chimborazo. La Niña has been making summiting attempts difficult in Ecuador this year, extending the wet season longer than usual. However, a Mountain Madness group of 8 and their two guides, Ossy and Gaspar, summited Cayambe and Cotopaxi this January!
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Andrea on the summit of Cayambe with Antisana in the background.
The trip launched on January 16th with a Glacier Mountaineering Course on the slopes of Cayambe with Gaspar Navarrete and four climbers. To prepare them for the summit climbs, they were instructed in the basics of mountaineering with snow climbing, ice axe positioning, crampon techniques, self arrest techniques, crevasse rescue practice, navigation and rope management.
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Feeding the llamas!
Four other climbers joined them on January 19th to begin the summit attempt of Cayambe. They were met with good weather conditions and everyone was healthy and feeling great! All eight climbers and both guides reached the summit on January 25th.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsoT3jrl5I%2FAAAAAAAABYk%2F5JF1Bb--wdU%2Fs320%2F1176269863_p125050a.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=f2f351b3e69529922f1c75e1c13dc99e 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsoT3jrl5I%2FAAAAAAAABYk%2F5JF1Bb--wdU%2Fs320%2F1176269863_p125050a.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=18060f76dd996a8a8d5a7eafb3798ae4 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsoT3jrl5I%2FAAAAAAAABYk%2F5JF1Bb--wdU%2Fs320%2F1176269863_p125050a.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=6b35238fc74bc5b1e3463621b06b415c 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsoT3jrl5I%2FAAAAAAAABYk%2F5JF1Bb--wdU%2Fs320%2F1176269863_p125050a.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=518ea427175114c4a2d70c0eda1d4d98 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsoT3jrl5I%2FAAAAAAAABYk%2F5JF1Bb--wdU%2Fs320%2F1176269863_p125050a.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=5fe8168abb18d04aaa58b3edd5f07446 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsoT3jrl5I%2FAAAAAAAABYk%2F5JF1Bb--wdU%2Fs320%2F1176269863_p125050a.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=4dca0ee0468b176c8510668a5ad3335f 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsoT3jrl5I%2FAAAAAAAABYk%2F5JF1Bb--wdU%2Fs320%2F1176269863_p125050a.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=6524e912f6ccfb5690ff616e20965d15 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsoT3jrl5I%2FAAAAAAAABYk%2F5JF1Bb--wdU%2Fs320%2F1176269863_p125050a.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=d02461521ba2449966c459d956529b57 320w)
Tambopaxi Hut with Cotopaxi in the distance.
Several days later, the group headed towards Tambopaxi in preparation for their summit push on Cotopaxi. Good weather, strength and health followed the group up to the summit on climber Tim Carey’s birthday! What a great way to celebrate! The weather was beautiful and the clear skies gave them great views from the summit.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsmeA0z4yI%2FAAAAAAAABYU%2FTdPAbDUcbaA%2Fs320%2F1176446683_p1280621.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=7e935f53f404d2adb1e3dde13b0fff4d 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsmeA0z4yI%2FAAAAAAAABYU%2FTdPAbDUcbaA%2Fs320%2F1176446683_p1280621.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=33100cb0747c10090259bcf39b774dfa 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsmeA0z4yI%2FAAAAAAAABYU%2FTdPAbDUcbaA%2Fs320%2F1176446683_p1280621.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=50a2cbf6d24507dd83b384090662648c 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsmeA0z4yI%2FAAAAAAAABYU%2FTdPAbDUcbaA%2Fs320%2F1176446683_p1280621.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=b5232a200fd51a3c7e031784cc2b3043 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsmeA0z4yI%2FAAAAAAAABYU%2FTdPAbDUcbaA%2Fs320%2F1176446683_p1280621.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=9e32aa68acf610842139c62be8cafd21 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsmeA0z4yI%2FAAAAAAAABYU%2FTdPAbDUcbaA%2Fs320%2F1176446683_p1280621.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=b14c6bacae343f15da3dd703be007407 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsmeA0z4yI%2FAAAAAAAABYU%2FTdPAbDUcbaA%2Fs320%2F1176446683_p1280621.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=0ed18d09f84f5bc67fe464eb198b4a60 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FTUsmeA0z4yI%2FAAAAAAAABYU%2FTdPAbDUcbaA%2Fs320%2F1176446683_p1280621.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=3db78033cf4953dbec04a5c8ce9899a7 320w)
Ossy, Andrea, Rudy and Mike at the summit of Cotopaxi!
These two successful and rewarding summits were enough for two of our climbers, who decided to return to warmer temperatures and relax. The rest of the group started out on Chimborazo a couple days later, but due to a crusty layer over hard ice at 18,600 feet, the group had to turn back. They got back to the Whymper Hut early in the morning and drove back to Quito. On the way, they stopped in Selva Alegre for some delicious guinea pig, one of the most traditional dishes in the Ecuadorian highlands!
We have one Ecuador trip left for the season, departing on February 25th! If you can’t make it with us in February, the South America season reopens in May with climbs and treks all over Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. See you on the mountain!